Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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249. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of funding that will be provided to each of the existing 109 family resource centres in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45198/17]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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250. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to open nine additional family resource centres in 2018; and the proposed location and opening date of each. [45199/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 250 together.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, will receive an additional €40.6 million in funding next year. This will bring Tusla's allocation to over €753 million in 2018.

I am placing a strong emphasis on the development of family support services. In this context, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that additional funding of approximately €5.0m is being made available to Tusla to be spent between now and the end of 2018 to support the work of Family Resource Centres.

This includes the provision of additional funding to Tusla to expand the existing Family Resource Centre Programme. A total of 11 centres will be added to the Family Resource Programme in 2018. Details of the application process for this funding is available on Tusla’s website, www.tusla.ie.

Tusla is also being provided with additional funding in 2018 to support the existing 109 Family Resource Centres across the country. Centres will be asked to work with their local Tusla office to identify services needed in their community. Up to €10,000 will be available to each Family Resource Centre next year subject to approval of their proposal.

Finally, I am also pleased to announce that my Department is providing €2.120m in exceptional, once-off funding for Family Resource Centres to be spent by the end of this year. This funding will be in the form of minor capital assistance. Details of the application process for this funding is available on Tusla’s website, www.tusla.ie.

Applications will be assessed by Tusla and the deadline for applications is Thursday, 9 November, 2017.

I am pleased to be in a position to support the work of centres through the targeting of additional resources to services that will impact positively on vulnerable children and families.